EPS Diesel has made significant progress in certifying their “clean sheet” Graflight Flat 8 engine. They expect to complete the process later this year. Certification activity has kept the company busy in the past year as it continues to expand its staff and facilities. The engine is aimed at replacing 320-420-hp gasoline engines used in general aviation aircraft. The Graflight burns Jet-A engine should reduce fuel costs by 45% compared to an avgas 350-hp Continental piston engine according to EPS.
EPS reports that ast fall, they subjected their engine to over 70 hours of climb, cruise and restart scenarios in a revived Air Force chamber which simulated altitudes up to 30,000 feet. The tests were conducted to affirm the mechanical design configuration of the Graflight Flat 8 engine along with the advanced capabilities through the use of EPS’ proprietary Electronic Engine Control Unit (EECU) and their state of the art fuel system. “The engine responded in normal parameters at all altitudes up to 30K feet,” said EPS CEO Michael Fuchs.
